Amy
Rasing joined the city’s Office of Planning and Economic Development in 2023 as
a grant manager. In December, Mayor Misty Buscher nominated her as the new
director of OPED, and her appointment was confirmed Jan. 7 by the Springfield
City Council. She has worked more than 30 years in nonprofit agencies on the
local, state and national level. Her previous employers include the Illinois
Presbyterian Home Communities, Central Illinois Arthritis Foundation and the
Children’s Organ Transplant Association.
Amy and her husband, Dan, have lived in Springfield since 2000. They have two adult sons.
Where were you born and raised, and what was your first job?
I was raised on a farm in northwestern Illinois near Freeport. My first position was with the Rock River Council of Girl Scouts where I served as a membership specialist charged with recruiting, retaining and recognizing volunteers.
How did you become involved in the nonprofit world?
I grew up in a family that was very involved in community charitable and volunteer work, from Lions Club to 4-H. This inspired me to want to give back and help others to do the same. When I went to college, I focused my attention in the education and communications coursework and also enrolled in the nonprofit agency administration certification program.
What experiences in your nonprofit work prepared you for your job with the city of Springfield?
Joining the city in November 2023 as the grants coordinator, I utilized the organizational and economic development skill sets I developed over the years in my nonprofit leadership roles. Some key parts of grant management are finding resources, connecting with subject matter experts and ensuring you have the capacity to do the work and make an impact with the funds.
My appointment as director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development empowers me to lead and engage in efforts beyond the more internal components of grant management. I focus on maintaining and building relationships with external partners such as investors and developers, community groups and local business leaders as well as our elected public officials.
What new or innovative methods do you intend to implement in the Office of Planning and Economic Development?
The office staff has been working hard in the last year to monitor and evaluate what has been done in the past and what needs to be implemented so that the team can put new processes and opportunities into place. For example, we now offer training for lead abatement certifications. We had a great need, but no local certified workers. Now we have safer family homes, completed by local contractors, with many more to come.
This year we have already begun holding public meetings to gather input on planning and the use of funds. We are also scheduling workshops and creating more materials geared toward assisting applicants in completing funding requests for our programs. We will host Grants 101 training for small businesses and nonprofit organizations. These entities may need information regarding the tools needed to find and apply for grants they qualify for, but they may not have the staffing, resources or confidence to dig into it on their own.
The office is also home to our newly hired city planner, Sean Pritchard. He is already bringing his experience and ideas to the mayor and our team as we work to further identify economic opportunities and overcome challenges so we can strategically work to attract businesses, secure funding and create jobs.
What challenges that involve your office are on the horizon for Springfield, and how can the city effectively meet those challenges?
One of the biggest challenges is the great need and our limited resources, both financial and personnel, as we look at things like our newly released (downtown and medical district) master plan. We work on taking action throughout the city for infrastructure improvements, retaining and attracting businesses, creating a welcoming place for tourists and most importantly, a city that people are proud to call home.
What impressed you most about the Springfield community when you moved here 25 years ago?
I can compare it to Rockford, where we moved from with two small children when my husband was promoted to a position here in Springfield. At the time we had outgrown our smaller home and had the opportunity to purchase more house for our dollar here, and we still reside in that home 25 years later. We were also able to shift from private school to public schools as well as starting college at Lincoln Land Community College, and both were solid educational offerings to our boys. One of our sons has remained in Springfield after earning his degree, and he is working for a locally owned business.
We were drawn to Springfield's long-standing and new locally owned restaurants, which we continue to share with friends and family, and of course our historic landmarks.
What advice would you give to young people who are entering the career field?
Both in my career and my very fulfilling personal life, I would say I have found ways to be in service to the community, connecting people and cultivating relationships for partnering, volunteering and action-taking. Professionally, I've had positions that have allowed me opportunities to do this on the local, state and national levels.
In my opinion, you must have more than great grades in your coursework, you also need to get engaged and build relationships. By doing so you will no doubt make a difference and encourage others to do so as well, making the community a better place to live and work.
What might people be surprised to learn about you?
I paid for my college education with my winnings from showing sheep at the county fair and Illinois State Fair when I was old enough to participate in the junior and open divisions. Back then I was the only girl in the show ring among the boys for the championship competition. Our flock of purebred Corriedale sheep afforded me the opportunity to learn some valuable lessons that have shaped my life and career such as how to lose or win gracefully, teamwork, responsibility, thankfulness, sportsmanship and leadership.
